Muhahahahaha! FAQ by apollo_lunar |  |
Muhahahaha!- a fine addition to any gourmet din-- er, set of vocabulary. It
adds an excellent effect on the Borovan avatar, appears in comics regularly,
and is commonly known as the scheming evil mastermind’s laugh. Oh, whatever
you call it, this evil cackle plays an important role in Neopia’s rich text
and art.
The first time I ever came across this word was in a Caption Contest. I recall
the image was of an evil Shoyru torturing an Usul with a Kau plushie. Only that
time I didn’t know it was a Shoyru and a Kau plushie because I was only a newbie
and wasn’t familiar with the pets yet. One of the captions was fairly amusing
and contained the word “muhahahaha.” One could imagine the curiosity I experienced
as I’ve never seen the word before. So I *cough* bravely*cough* set off to learn
more about the strange word, only to discover that it mainly appears in Neopet
documents, and the submissions of a variety of Neopians.
When viewing Caption Contests and The Neopian Times, one will often come across
the word. In fact, this occurrence is so often that the menacing guffaw is often
ignored. I know this because I see Neopians using “muhahahaha!” incorrectly
or ineffectively everyday. Nooo! “Muhahaha!” cannot be ignored or misused! *Waves
arms in exasperation, falls out of chair in effort* Ow. Ahem. As I was saying,
it has such an amazing background and meaning, yet some Neopians haven’t unlocked
the full potential, power, and the prowess of the word yet. So for those of
you who either have never heard of the word, don’t know how to use it, or use
it effectively, here’s your lucky day -- if there is such thing -- I have compiled
this FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) here. Its purpose? To instruct you the
correct usage of the term.
1. How is “muhahahaha!” used?
Well, it you haven’t figured it out, it’s used for maniacal laughter. More
information on that later.
2. Who in Neopia would laugh like that?
Well, I know for a fact Sloth would. You know, even when villains that remind
one of chickens can intimidate Neopians with a “muhahaha!” *Dodges beams from
ray gun* It’s a pretty powerful word. Let’s just say bad guys use it.
3. When is “muhahahaha!” used?
Like I said before, it’s used mainly for bad guys. Especially when they steal
something or do something that supposedly hurts someone else. You see, sometimes
a “ha, ha, ha!” just doesn’t cut it. It’s just too simple and plain. Whereas
in “muhahahaha!” it already supplies a dark, mysterious, and evil background,
all on its own. A real added bonus.
Examples of how to use “muhahahaha!” correctly and fairly effectively: • “Feel
my wrath puny mortals! Muhahahaha!” • “It was I who stole your green apple jelly
cheese! Muhahahaha!” • “You and your refrigerator will be doomed forever! Muhahahah!”
• “Your dill pickles now belong to me! Muhahahaha!”
Okay, so the second, third, and fourth might not leave you trembling with terror
and shaking in your shoes, unless, of course, you’re a jelly cheese and/or pickle
addict, but “muhahaha!” was correctly used in the sentences above.
Examples of how NOT to use “muhahaha!”: • (Say first part calmly and sweetly.)“Good
night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite. Muhahahaha!” • “Fluffy towels,
muhahaha!” • “That woolly JubJub hat smells like bananas! Muhahahaha!”
Okay, so those were really pathetic, but you should get the idea. Please don’t
use these unless you want people to think you’re a gibbering moron.
Sometimes you may see the word used after someone says something scary like: •
“The Meepits will be there, you’ll see! Muhahahaha!”
4. I’ve see different spellings of the word. Are these scams?
No, these are scams and yes, there are not different spellings of the word.
Wait- did I get that right? There are different spellings. So far the only ones
I’ve seen are “mwhahahaha” and “bwhahahaha.” They all mean the same thing and
serve the same purpose, and no, they are not scams, but I recommend you use
“muhahaha” because that’s the way the Neopets Team spells it, and that version
is most common.
5. Does it matter how long you write it?
Of course not. When laughing, one most often cannot control the length of his/her
laughter. As you may have observed, I vary the lengths of “muhahahaha” simply
because it doesn’t matter, but don’t go overboard either way. Imagine Darigan
or Sloth laughing for five minutes straight without halting and then gasping
for air. Not very cool or convincing. But don’t make it too short. It’s not
every day you can laugh in someone else’s face. Might as well rub it in, right?
6. Okay narrating person, now what?
Now that you’ve used the maniacal laughter, don’t you just feel more confident
about yourself? Of course you do. But you’re not finished, oh no. Sometimes,
one may want to add something else after the abnormal giggle to heighten the
effect. Something so awesome, so absorbing, so amazing- (Say in heaviest French
accent possible) the Cough.
One may wonder why I capitalized cough. The reason is that it’s not just your
ordinary my-throat-is-dry cough. Oh, no. It’s more of a hacking cough.
Example of the Cough in context: “Now I have a complete gallery of Fuzzles! Muhahaha...
hack, hack, hahaha, hack, hack... ha, hack, ha... ha...”
Remember to falter your voice gradually to heighten the effect. The Cough is
often used after the evil laughter to create a somewhat humorous effect and
it shows the villain isn’t very invincible and is fairly vulnerable to Kikoughela-
a very nice touch indeed.
Other things you could end your laugh with are: • Disappearing into the darkness.
• Swish of the cloak/cape- a classic. • One’s suspenders/pants falling down/tearing,
a “heh, heh,” and then a “zoom.” (Probably not the best.)
Well, I hope this article has answered some, if any, of your questions. “Muhahaha”
is a wonderful word that will enhance your writing greatly. I hope you will
learn to use it effectively if you haven’t already. If one has any additional
questions on the matter, feel free to Neomail me. If I ever receive enough questions,
who knows, there might even be a sequel.
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